FAQ

Yes. In an attempt to provide students, families and counselors with adequate time to adjust to remote processes, the Texas State freshman and transfer student application deadlines for Fall 2020 have been extended to Saturday, August 1, 2020. The application deadline for international freshman students has been extended to Monday, June 1, 2020.

Applicants who are affected by recent cancellations of the SAT and/or ACT, but who have completed all other application requirements, will be given special consideration for admission through a holistic review.

We recommend that all students have a standardized test on file prior to enrollment. Without a standardized test, a student will not be considered for scholarships. Lack of an SAT or ACT score may affect meeting Texas Success Initiative Program (TSIP) exemptions and course placement.

We will accept high school transcripts by email at processing@txstate.edu or fax at 512.245.8100 from current high school students or high school counselors. 

If you are having issues getting documentation needed to complete your file, please contact us.

The requirements for obtaining an application fee waiver for Summer and Fall 2020 have changed. For additional information and updates, visit our Fee Waiver webpage.

Yes. Texas State continues to offer Assured Scholarships, our largest scholarship opportunity, to qualified students through the start of classes on August 24, 2020.

Most university scholarships had an original acceptance deadline of May 1st. However, the deadline by which to accept most scholarship offers (including the national, assured and competitive scholarships) has been extended to June 1st due to the COVID-19 situation. For scholarships offered to you by a specific college or department, be sure to check with that college/department about any deadline extensions for accepting scholarships.

Accepting your financial aid offer does not commit you to attending Texas State University. Typically, students are asked to accept their financial aid offer (e.g., grants, work study, student loans, etc.) by May 1st. The May 1st deadline has been extended to June 1st due to the COVID-19 situation. After this date, any unaccepted aid offers are cancelled so the unaccepted funds can be used to help other students. It's also important to remember that even if you have not already applied for financial aid for the upcoming fall 2020 semester, it's not too late to do so. You can still apply for aid by completing your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

High Schools

Texas State will review final transcripts to verify course credit and high school graduation dates. Whether a high school elects to award pass/fail grades or numerical/letter grades will not affect the admission process. However, should a student fail a course, we reserve the right to reevaluate the admission decision.

Transfers

For admission:
Texas State will adhere to its existing process regarding accepting pass/fail grades. If the sending institution lists a passing grade (P), it does not affect the student’s transfer GPA. If the sending institution lists a failing grade (F), the student will be awarded an F grade, which will factor into their transfer GPA calculation. For admission decisions, we will review each application holistically.

For applicability towards the degree:
If the Academic College would normally apply a course to the student’s degree requirements with a letter grade of C or better, we will accept the same course with a grade of P earned in Spring 2020. Information regarding degree requirements are provided in the Transfer Planning Guides.

Programs in the College of Health Professions will apply a "passing" grade towards degree requirements where applicable. Students should work with an academic advisor to determine if a grade of "passing" is in their best interest for enrollment in future courses and/or applying to competitive programs.

For high school seniors, we require an initial transcript to make an admission decision, then we will require another transcript that shows a graduation date once you have finished high school. The transcript showing a high school graduation date will not be needed to make an admission decision or to sign up for New Student Orientation. You will have plenty of time before school starts in August to get that requirement fulfilled, so we do not anticipate school closings affecting this process.

We anticipate resuming on-campus events in July, with registration opening in June. In the meantime, explore our Online Campus Tour.

An online version of Bobcat Day is now available! Our next on-campus Bobcat Days will be on the San Marcos campus October 2020, November 2020, February 2021 and April 2021. 

Online Transfer Information Sessions are being planned and will be announced soon.

Additional online visit options are also coming soon!

In order to best serve our incoming students during these uncertain times, we are moving all New Student Orientation (NSO) programs to ONLINE delivery. Additional information about this new delivery format will be available soon.

If you have already registered for an on-campus orientation program, you will be receiving additional information regarding the transition to online delivery (including how any student/guest registration fees will be applied/refunded) in the near future. The NSO team will move all students currently registered for an on-campus session to the online session.

We will be applying the appropriate credits/refunds to each student’s account. More information on your credit/refund will be available soon.

Yes. All guest registrations will be refunded. Please allow appropriate time for refunds to be processed.

Remote testing is available by request. For more information, visit the TSIP website.

If you will be under age 22 on your first class day, Texas law requires you to provide proof that you have received a bacterial meningitis vaccination. Due to COVID-19 concerns, Texas State is extending the date to submit documentation until June 30 for students starting the fall semester. After June 30, failure to submit the appropriate proof will impact your ability to register for fall classes. Students beginning on-campus classes for Summer II must provide proof of vaccination at least 10 days prior to the first day of classes, July 6. Refer to our Meningitis Vaccination Requirement webpage for more information about submitting proof or requesting an exemption.

The Department of Housing and Residence Life (DHRL) will issue a partial refund to students who cancel their housing contract by July 1, 2020. For details, visit the Cancellations page on the DHRL website.

At the current time, the University has not announced any changes to the fall semester. Our Bobcat Community is looking forward to getting back together when classes start for the second summer session in July. If that changes, we will let you know. Continue checking here for all COVID-19 related updates.

Contact us with any questions you may have.

You must have at least 30 transferable credit hours and a cumulative GPA of 2.25 or higher.

Visit the campus tours page to schedule a campus tour or go to the Events page  to learn more about special visit days for prospective students and their families. To schedule an appointment with an admissions counselor, call 512.245.2340.

Texas State is committed to providing fee waivers to students with demonstrated need. To qualify for an application fee waiver, you must be a United States citizen, permanent resident or a student identified under Senate Bill 1528 and demonstrate that paying the application fee causes a serious financial hardship. Our Fee Waiver page has more information on how to apply for a fee waiver.

Applications should be completed by the Admission Priority Dates for each semester.

An official transcript can be obtained from a college or university Registrar’s office and must have the Registrar’s signature and seal. Faxed transcripts and grade reports are not official and will not be accepted. Official transcripts may be sent electronically, mailed or hand-delivered to our office:

Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Richard A. Castro Undergraduate Admissions Center
429 N. Guadalupe Street
San Marcos, TX 78666

Information about transfer course credit and our online equivalency guide may be found on our Transfer Credit Evaluation web page. After your complete application to Texas State is processed, we will provide an evaluation of your transferable course work.

If the course transfers to Texas State, then the grade also transfers. Be aware that WF's and Incompletes factor into your transfer GPA as F's.

A Texas State student will have three GPA's: a transfer GPA, a Texas State GPA, and a cumulative GPA. A transfer GPA is used to determine your admission, a Texas State GPA represents the course work completed at Texas State and a cumulative GPA reflects all the course work.

When a course is repeated more than once, the second grade (first repeat) and all subsequent grades (repeats) are included in computing the hours attempted, grade points earned and GPA. A course taken at Texas State must be repeated at Texas State to be counted as a repeat. A course taken for transfer credit must be repeated as transfer credit to count as a repeat.

All new students are required to complete New Student Orientation (NSO). An online NSO option is available for transfer students that are admitted with more than 30 transferable credit hours. Find out more information by visiting the NSO page or calling 512.245.3655.

The University's Housing Policy requires students under the age of 20 (by September 1 for fall admission or January 1 for spring admission) with fewer than 30 credit hours to live in on-campus university housing. All students who graduated from high school within the preceding 12 months of the semester of their admission are also required to live on campus. Bobcat Village Apartments are open only to students who are at least 19 years old with 30 or more credit hours.

Students must submit a housing contract, which is binding for the academic year. Exceptions may be granted if a student lives at a parent's or legal guardian's permanent home within a sixty mile radius of Texas State. Students requesting an exception must complete a residence hall exemption request and submit it to the department.

If you have submitted an application or been admitted but not yet enrolled in classes, you may make changes or corrections to your personal information by submitting a completed Personal Information Update Request form to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

To check the status of your application, visit the Applicant Status Check.

We do not require admitted students to formally accept our offer of admission to Texas State. You confirm that you intend to enroll for the term you are admitted by signing up for New Student Orientation (NSO), completing your housing contract and submitting your housing prepayment. Additional information is available on the Next Steps page of our website.

Yes. Students who have previously applied must reapply for a future semester. If you would like assistance with planning your transfer and selecting courses for transfer, please call 512.245.2340 and ask to speak with a transfer counselor.

If you have been denied, we recommend taking immediate action to raise your academic profile by increasing your cumulative GPA to at least a 2.25.

Yes. If you'd like to appeal our decision, you (the student) must submit a formal letter of appeal to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. For an appeal to be effective, it must bring to light new academic information as well as information regarding extenuating circumstances that were not included in the application. The Admission Appeal Committee will notify you of their decision by mail three to six weeks after they have received your appeal letter.

Send all appeal documents to:

Texas State University
The Office of Undergraduate Admissions
Richard A. Castro Undergraduate Admissions Center
429 N Guadalupe St.
San Marcos, TX 78666

or email us at processing@txstate.edu, subject line Appeal Request.

Students who have not enrolled in any accredited college or university for five or more consecutive calendar years immediately preceding the semester they wish to enroll may qualify for admission through Academic Bankruptcy. Under this policy, all college-level work done at an earlier date is eliminated from computation of the GPA and none of it is applied toward a degree at Texas State. Such work, however, will not be removed from the student’s records. In order to request permission to declare academic bankruptcy, students must complete the Academic Bankruptcy Form.

If academic bankruptcy is granted, an applicant will be admitted on probation. Academic bankruptcy may also impact a student's degree plan and academic rules.

Under the provisions of the Texas Education Code, the Academic Fresh Start program was established to allow a Texas resident to apply for admission and elect to have all academic course work earned 10 or more years prior to the requested enrollment date ignored for admission purposes. Individuals who choose Academic Fresh Start, including returning Texas State students, must meet current published admission criteria for Texas State and must submit official records from all colleges attended. Students admitted under this provision will not receive any course credit for courses taken 10 or more years prior to enrollment.

In order to request Academic Fresh Start, an applicant must complete the Academic Fresh Start Form and receive approval from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. Academic Fresh Start may impact a student's degree plan and academic rules. For further information, refer to the undergraduate catalog or contact the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Congratulations on your acceptance! We do not require admitted students to formally accept our offer of admission to Texas State. For a checklist of what you'll need to do as an admitted student, visit the Next Steps web page.

An individual’s residency classification is based on information from his or her admission application. If you are classified as a non-resident and wish to be considered for reclassification as a resident, it is necessary to submit the Core Residency Questions, available from the Office of Undergraduate Admissions. For more detailed information on residency visit the Residency web page.

For freshmen, contact the Testing Center at 512.245.2276. For transfers, send your official college transcript to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions.

Contact the Registrar’s office at that college/university and order an official transcript. Have it sent to: Texas State University, Office of Undergraduate Admissions, 429 N Guadalupe St., San Marcos, TX, 78666.

Former students who have been away from Texas State for one long semester or longer must reapply in order to return to Texas State. Applicants must submit an ApplyTexas application for admission, application fee and official transcripts from colleges/universities attended since leaving Texas State.

The Registrar's Office will provide students with an Official Enrollment Verification Letter after their name appears on the 1st day roster and they have attended their first class. Call 512.245.2367 for more information.

Instructions can be found by clicking on 'Forgot PIN' on the Texas State Self-Service Login page.

For the Fall and Spring terms, it is March 15. For Summer I and Summer II, it is March 1.

TSIP stands for Texas Success Initiative Program. All students who enroll in a Texas public institution of higher education must provide evidence of college readiness in reading, writing and mathematics. Those who earn high SAT, ACT, TAKS or STAAR scores may be exempt from taking the initial TSI assessment. For those students who need to take the TSI assessment, a Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA) must be completed before testing. The PAA helps students understand the importance and process of the assessment as well as developmental education course options. Information about the assessment test, the PAA and exemptions may be found at the Texas State TSI Program’s website. You may also call the TSIP Office at 512.245.3942.

In order to release the hold, you must first complete New Student Orientation (NSO) and meet with an academic advisor before you will be allowed to register for classes. If you need further assistance, call 512.245.2364.

Students need to send in a transcript showing high school graduation. This document needs to be sent directly from the high school to our office or directly to the student and delivered to us in a signed, sealed envelope. This transcript will only keep a student from getting an admission decision if they have already graduated high school. For students who have yet to graduate, we can make an admission decision based on a transcript that has in-progress work. This means many incoming freshman students will submit two transcripts, one to receive an admission decision, and one more after they graduate high school to fulfill the final transcript requirement.

Unless you are moving from Summer to Fall or Fall to Summer of the same year, you must complete a new application through ApplyTexas, including repaying the application fee, to request admission for a different semester. You will also be required to adhere to our application deadlines. We may require additional documentation and cannot guarantee that you will be admitted for the new term. If you need assistance planning your transition to Texas State, please call 512.245.2340 and ask to speak with an admission counselor.

No. Furthermore, their website is not optimized for mobile devices, and there are known issues with using the Chrome browser on some newer Android devices. You can try doing it all on your phone, but we recommend using a computer for all those reasons.

Yes, however make sure it is flat, well lit and in focus. Magnus will NOT approve a record that it can't read.

Magnus does not retain records after approval. If another approval is needed for a new school, you must submit your record again.

Try again. Occasionally, Magnus will not connect the first time. This condition usually only last a few seconds at a time, but can be longer on rare occasions.

You will get this response if you will be age 22 or older at the start of classes (exempt) or if you tried to upload your documentation before your term was available for loading. Please try again after the appropriate date below.

Fall - April 1
Spring - August 15
Summer - November 1

You were previously admitted to TX State and your Magnus record is stuck in archive. Call Magnus Customer Service at 877.461.6831 and tell them you need your account moved to the “Tracker” for the term (Spring/Summer/Fall, and the year) you are now admitted to enroll at Texas State University.

If you already have an approvable record (less than 5 prior to the first day of class) in their system, you can ask if they will move that, also. They may even let you pay the $10 processing fee over the phone. (In that case, you can just check back in couple days to see if your hold is removed, or if you have a green check mark on your Magnus account page.) Otherwise, you‘ll then need to go back to the instructions to log in to Magnus and pay/load your document.

Yes. Only Magnus can process and approve your record and they receive no funding from Texas State University to perform this function. There are no fee waivers or other approval sources. This also goes for anyone submitting an exemption, by mail or any other means.

No. The only acceptable method of payment is a credit or debit card.

There are known issues with using the Chrome browser on some newer Android devices. If this happens, it is best to try again from a computer using a different browser. The Magnus website supports most other browsers, including IE, Firefox and Safari.

First, try again later. The Magnus website may sometimes experience problems during periods of high volume activity.

Second, see if you can find help for your problem on the Magnus Support Center for students. Links to email or Live Chat with Magnus are available on that page, or you may call their customer service number at 877.461.6831.

Magnus will reject a record if the date is not clear. If that is the problem, you will need to obtain a better copy of your record and upload it to Magnus. You will not have to pay another processing fee.

If your record has meningitis shot information in more than one place, you will need to indicate the more recent entry in a way that makes it stand out (drawing an arrow from the older entry to the newer one works well) and upload it again.

You may either email us with a request to withdraw your application and include your full name, date of birth and Texas State ID number. You may also withdraw your application yourself at "Application Status Check" in Self-Serve Banner.

For questions about the Magnus website, submitting your record or records you have already submitted, visit the Magnus Support Center for students. Links to email or Live Chat are also available on that page, or you may call customer service at 877.461.6831.

For all other questions, email us.

Bobcat Day is your opportunity to experience Texas State and get a glimpse of life as a Bobcat. During your day with us you can tour our beautiful campus, visit with faculty and advisors, learn about admission policies and talk with students, administrators and student support specialists.

Whether you are just starting your college search or are already accepted to Texas State, we would love for you to come and experience Bobcat Country!

Bobcat Day activities, including parking, are free! You will want to bring some money for meals and Texas State souvenirs, both of which can be purchased on campus.

Check in is from 8:00 a.m. - 10:00 a.m. in the LBJ Student Center. To get the most out of Bobcat Day, we recommend that you arrive during that time. Remember to bring your pre-registration check-in email.

Check-in begins at 8:00 a.m. and there are activities you can choose to do until 3:00 p.m.

No, it does not. You can sign up for New Student Orientation (NSO) on the NSO web page.

Please print out and bring your pre-registration confirmation email to expedite the check-in process.

Bobcat Day is a casual event, so dress comfortably and wear walking shoes.

We recommend you pre-register to make the check in process smoother. Bobcat Day registration is available online.

Follow the signs and the people directing traffic once you arrive on campus. Make sure you pay attention to where you park, so you can find your way back to your vehicle at the end of Bobcat Day.

You may turn in your transcript to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions from 8:00 a.m. until 2:00 p.m. that day:

Richard A. Castro Undergraduate Admissions Center
429 N. Guadalupe Street
San Marcos, TX 78666

Counselors are available at the Admissions Information Sessions and in the Academic Majors & Student Services Fair. Academic Advisors will not be available for individual meetings on Bobcat Day.

Student-guided campus walks are available on Bobcat Day beginning at 8:30 a.m. There is no need to pre-register. Walks depart every 15 minutes from the Alkek Library breezeway and they last about 30-45 minutes. The last group departs at 1 p.m. Be sure to wear comfortable shoes!